The Child of Altador
by Kessie-Louise
Summary: What if Altador had a daughter with him when he set out to find the Twelve Heroes? From the same writer of 'Outside In' comes a new story of a great love between father and daughter, the founding and growth of a beautiful and memorable city, the Darkest Faerie's betrayal, and a broken spell to reunite a bond sacred to nature. Story finished, please read and review!
1. The Dark Faerie

"Stay here child," A large Lupe said to a much younger one. "I will be back."

"But Daddy," the small Lupe protested, "The monster killed Mommy..."

The large Lupe looked down at his daughter with sorrow. She was more or less three years old now, but she had seen her own mother die in front of her not long ago. Some children would have shrunk from experiencing such a thing before coming to age, but the young Lupe grew. She seemed wiser than most her age, and far more observant of others around her and of things to come.

"I will be back." The large Lupe assured once more. The little Lupe looked up at her father unsure, so he bent down to her height and gave her a small kiss on the forehead. He then looked her in the eye. It was hard not to cry in front of the other. They were both aware of how deadly the beast was.

"What if you..." the young Lupe started to say, but she was silenced by her father.

"Never lose your faith, my daughter. And never doubt your trust in someone. Never think, for one ounce in your life, that you are not as strong as you feel. And let no one tell you that you are not wise. Always, always, know that someone loves you, and your heart will be an imprint of yourself for years to come long after. Understand?"

The young Lupe nodded, and with that, the older Lupe got up and made his leave. The young Lupe waited a while after she could no longer see her father. In an hour, she'd go after him; whether he wanted her to or not.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The young Lupe began her journey an hour after she couldn't see her father down the road. And since his footsteps were naturally larger than hers, it wouldn't be that much of an effort to stay behind him. She slipped out of the house without her Cybunny nanny knowing, and took to the path she saw her father go down.

At first the trip went on well; The ground was wet from a two day rain spell they had a few days before that still had yet to dry, so the young Lupe was able to follow her father's footprints no matter where they went. But it seemed, the further along she got, that the ground was either getting more dry or there had been no rain there at all over the last few days. Finally, the young Lupe had to stop. She was officially lost now.

All too suddenly, she felt the burden of still being a small child weight on her and started to cry. She was lost, and she had told no one where she was or had gone. When you father would return home, he'd return to not find her there and he would more than likely worry himself to death over her disappearance. She would be dead by then, from lack of food or water, or she would still be lost with no way out. She was scared, and lost, and afraid.

"What's wrong?" a voice said from behind her. It was in a near monotone, but female. It was uncaring, but still concerned in some degree. The young Lupe turned around and saw a faerie. A dark faerie. The little Lupe cowered a little at her (she had heard what dark faeries liked to do with Neopets) but still remembered her manners.

"My Daddy went after a Ragnarok beast that had been hurting people in our village, and killed my Mommy. I... I went to go after him although he told me not to, and now I'm lost..."

The dark faerie looked at the young Lupe for a moment, as if decided what to do next, then she said;

"Do you have a name?"

"Alixandrea of the Lupard village."

"And your father's name?"

"Altador, the hunter of the Lupard village."

The dark faerie was silent again, thinking over this.

"What's your name?" the young Lupe asked.

"I don't have a name." the dark faerie told her. "My sisters have exiled me and took my name with them."

"Everyone has a name though." the young Lupe then told the dark faerie. The dark faerie was silent for a moment, but she gave the young Lupe answer nonetheless.

"Mera." the dark faerie told the young Lupe. "But if you tell anyone, never expect to see another sunrise."


	2. A Child's Dream

"There are two Ragnarok beasts in this area." Mera told Alix as they continued on their journey to find Alix's father. "That is the reason why your village is suffering so much. If you can land a blow on their head, it will prove fatal to them. But it also triggers the others sense of danger. It's the reason why Ragnarok beasts live in packs of two or more."

"So Daddy..."

"Will be alive. Unless the second beast sneaks on him, then it's only a matter of time."

The young Lupe shivered at the thought, but tried not to think about it. The thought stayed far away from Alix's mind until they reached a cave situated at the base of a mountain. The sounds of a very ugly battle came from inside.

"Daddy!" Alix immediately shouted, starting to go into the cave. Mera stopped her as a loud roar sounded from inside the cave.

"He has killed a beast, but the other is still in there."

Before Alix could say anything, Mera headed into the cave with a ball of dark faerie magic forming in her hand. Another cry from the beast and Alix couldn't stay still for much longer. She ran into the cave to see her father, Mera, and two Ragnarok beasts on the ground dead.

"Daddy!" Alix cried fearfully. The older Lupe looked at his daughter in surprise, relief, and a hint of anger.

"Alixandrea." he said as his young daughter ran to him in embrace.

"She led me to you." Mera informed the older Lupe. "She's a smart child, and you should be proud."

"Thank you for you compassion dark faerie." the Lupe graciously thanked. "Come back to our village, and we'll show you a safe place to life and our gratitude for helping to destroy the beasts."

"I..." Mera started to say, but was interrupted by Alix after her father set her down. The child Lupe quickly went over and hugged the dark faerie's leg.

"Please come to our village with us." she begged, throwing a classic puppy-dog pout. Mera looked at the young Lupe and sighed.

"Alright."

With his daughter on his back, Altador and Mera each carried the head of the beasts they had slain back to the village, and a grand celebration was held long into the night for the two of them. Later into the night, after Alix had gone to bed, Altador pulled Mera aside.

"A few months ago," Altador told Mera, "My daughter, Alixandrea, drew a picture of a beautiful place where no one was disappointed and the leader was as kind as he was powerful. The picture inspired me to do such a thing; to build and create such a place."

"What do you want me to do of it?"

"I need help fulfilling this dream. I need a council of twelve at the most. You are the first I wish to add, I believe you are a valuable asset and ally."

The dark faerie thought this over. Then she nodded.

"I will be happy to help you complete your dream and be part of your council of twelve." Mera agreed, looking less than happy as she said she was.


	3. The Protector

It was exactly a day after the father and daughter had met the dark faerie that Altador decided he and his daughter needed to go and see other lands. After wandering for a day, the father and daughter made camp. The three year old wandered around her new surroundings and felt scared, but slightly empowered by the new freedom. As she wandered about, she ran into an Aisha, who was surprised to see the young Lupe.

"Alixandrea!" Altador called out to his daughter. Without defiance, she ran back. The Aisha lingered behind, in a fear of sorts of being falsely accused of hurting the child. But when the older Lupe saw the wandering Aisha, he welcomed her happily as his daughter sought comfort and safety between her father's legs. She only reached as high as his knees at the most.

"Is... is she yours?" the Aisha asked cautiously, as if the discussion was taboo. The little Lupe hid further in her father's legs as he sat down on the ground.

"She is, and a bumpkin rascal at that." he confirmed, tickling the little Lupe so that she giggled. The Aisha smiled.

"She's a lovely little girl." the Aisha then said.

"She takes a lot after her mother." the older Lupe replied, slightly upset at the mention of his wife. The Aisha decided that she shouldn't bring up his wife again... she didn't need to know unless he wanted her to.

. . . . . .

The two adults went into a conversation that went well after Alixandrea's bedtime, but the young Lupe didn't feel like closing her eyes just yet. There was something... wrong about the land around them. The child could almost feel something wrong happening... or about to happen. After a while, she wasn't the only one that noticed that something was wrong. Suddenly, her father jumped up, got his sword that Alix rarely noticed on his belt loop and swung it behind them. Alix let out a scream when she saw that her father had sideswiped a Werelupe.

After looking around quickly, the Aisha stood up quickly and raised her hands in the air, saying something that Alix couldn't quite figure out. A shield of light covered the small camp from the Werelupes. Altador realized what had happened and quickly put his sword away to scoop up his terrified daughter.

The Werelupes scratched at the light barrier, but gave up after a while. After the coast was clear, the light barrier faded away. Altador turned to the Aisha amazed.

"Your powers are outstanding!" Altador praised. The Aisha blushed, thinking that she was humble. "With your powers of protection, my leadership, and the help of other just souls, we could build a city from a child's dreams!"

The Aisha smiled and looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at Altador.

"For years I have tried to find my true calling," she admitted, "And tonight, I think I have found it. I will follow you, kind Lupe, but... I don't think I ever caught your name."

"My apologies madam," Altador said, "Call me Altador, and the child Alixandrea."

"Alix." Alixandrea corrected. "I wanna be called Alix."

The two adults laughed happily.


	4. The Farmer

It was only a few days after Alix had met the dark faerie that her father decided to go on an outing of sorts to a farming village between Meridell and Brightvale. The child skipped to just keep time with a single stride by her father.

"Where are we goin' Daddy?" the little Lupe asked curiously, although she knew where. She felt like pestering her father since he looked like he was dead serious about something. She never liked her father being _too_ serious.

"We're going to talk to a farmer, and ask him something very important." Altador told his daughter.

"What's that?" the curious Lupe asked. Altador smiled.

"It's a surprise darling; a surprise better suited for the future."

"But the future will be here tomorrow." Alix pointed out. "Will I find out tomorrow?"

Altador laughed.

"Maybe Alixandrea, maybe."

. . . . . .

"The Disease inflicted our land years ago Altador," a farmer named Florin told Altador as Alix admired the Petpets in the yard. "I don't see what you want to do with me."

"A dream needs someone to believe in her, and you are one of those I believe will believe in this dream. Consider it, and refer those who you feel are as kind as they are noble."

Florin agreed as Alix started to climb onto the fence that held the Petpets.

"Ooooo... Naalala..." she said as she started to teeter over the edge of the fence.

"Hey!" Florin shouted as the small Lupe started to fall into the pen. Quickly, Altador reacted and grabbed his daughter before she fell headfirst into the Petpet pen.

"Naalalas bite silly child." Florin scolded a very stunned Alix as Altador held her, preventing her from going any where. "As do Arootas, and don't even get me started on Hyrduplits."

"Are you alright Alixandrea?" Altador asked, seeing how stunned his daughter looked. The little girl nodded, her eyes trained on the Petpets. She would have sworn that if her father and Florin had just let her fall, the Altalaphus would have caught her fall. Maybe...


	5. The Faeries

"Sit up Alixandrea, we have a few visitors coming." Altador gently said, waking his daughter. The young Lupe looked up tiredly at her father. She blinked a few times at him.

"Who?" the young child asked sleepily.

"Two faeries." her father answered happily.

"Is one of them an air faerie?" Alix asked sleepily with a rather dreamy smile. Her father nodded with a smile.

"Good," Alix said, "I like air faeries." and she promptly fell back asleep in her father's arms.

. . . . . .

The faeries arrived just at Altador had finished helping his still half-asleep daughter into her everyday clothes. A light faerie has wearing a thick cloak, to hide her bright light (the brightest of any light faerie Alix had ever known) and an air faerie looked as if she was in a dream-like state, almost as if she was as half-asleep as Alix was.

"Welcome ladies," Altador said kindly, "Please come in and sit down."

The faeries gave their thanks gratefully and did as they were told. They sat down in the living room on two chairs that were closest to the wood furnace, while Altador sat on a chair that actually faced the wood furnace. Alix sat at her father's feet, as seeing her favorite chair was being occupied by the air faerie at the moment.

"Is she your daughter, Altador?" the light faerie asked, noticing Alix as she nodded off to sleep at her father's feet. Altador looked down at his daughter and smiled before picking her up to place her into his lap. Alix gave an innocent, child-like yawn that could have made anyone's heart melt.

"Yes, this is my daughter Alixandrea." Altador confirmed, smiling at his daughter. "She'd be about three now."

"I see a lot of potential in her." the light faerie told him. "Not today, of course, but over time."

"Can you read the future?" Alix asked sleepily, more to no one than to the light faerie herself.

"Sometimes," the light faerie laughed, "Some light faeries are given the gift of predicting the future."

Alix smiled then seemed to have soundly gone back to sleep. Altador kissed his daughter on her forehead and gently set her on the chair by herself while he attempted to stand.

"Siyana, Psellia," Altador started to say, standing straight and authoritative, "I have heard of your good deeds to Neopians across this world, and I come to you today with honor and dignity."

The faeries nodded, getting down to business.

"Nearly six months ago, my daughter drew a vision of a land that was built for the people and ruled by a king who's wisdom showed no bounds. Although it is only a child's dream, I wish to built on the idea. I have been looking for Neopians, and faeries alike, that show mercy on those who do not truly need it to build a council of twelve; to begin this new land. You two ladies are part of the council of twelve, if you would like."

The light faerie and the air faerie looked at each other. Then they stood up and looked Altador in the eye.

"We would be honored Altador, to help you build this new city." the faeries said in unison. Altador smiled and gave each faerie a brief hug while giving them a general briefing on what he wanted to do. Meanwhile, Alix (who felt more awake since the sun was up now) peeked an eye at the faeries. The light faerie, Siyana as her father called her, looked rather nice. The air faerie (Psellia, was it?) looked totally exhausted, even more so than Alix did. Alix still preferred the air faerie better though and she smiled at herself at this thought.


	6. The Dancer

"We will be back before two sunrises over." Alixandrea's Cybunny nanny told Altador as the two ladies were walking out of the village to go to another village for a festival. "The bottom of the Shenkuu mountains isn't far from here, it shouldn't take that long given a day's worth of activities."

"Good." Altador nodded to the nanny before turning to his daughter. "Don't give Nan a hard time dear, understand?"

"Yes Daddy, I won't." Alix told her father, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"Bring back some green tea custard for us to share, alright?"

Alix nodded.

"Alright Daddy." she promised with a smile.

"Come on Little Wolf," Alix's nanny gestured, "We have to get there early."

"Okay." Alix said, rolling her eyes a little. She loved her nanny dearly, but sometimes she was more bossy than her father was.

. . . . .

They arrived earlier than what Nanny had expected; the small village was still setting up the festival. So, at Nanny's nagging and suggestion, the two helped set up as well as the wind slowly began to blow faster. When the festival was just hours away, the winds had begun to blow so hard that the village elders had come out.

"To the cellars!" they called out over the howling of the wind. "To town hall and into the cellars!"

Everyone obeyed instantly and ran toward town hall and into its basement. When the doors had closed the outside world, the wind howled harder and sounded more fierce that earlier. At a mere and innocent five years old, Alix thought of her father. Was he safe? Did he know that she would be safe? If she wasn't, who was going to tell him?

Not far away from Alix and her nanny, another child, a Kacheek, started to whimper a little. Then a baby Meerca started to sniffle a little. Soon, nearly all of the children were showing signs of fear, including Alix herself. Softly, and slowly, the sound of a guitar began to fill the air that all the children took notice to. A Cybunny sat on top of a tall orange crate and was singing calmly;

_The storm is high,_

_But we are low._

_Hush little dears,_

_We are safe now._

_We will leave this storm high,_

_And never remain low._

Alix inched closer to this Cybunny. Was this the kind of characteristic that her father was looking for in the idea he had had since she was three; Caring, a little daring, and some sense of life and hope for an unknown future? Sounded good enough for a child that had just turned four years old a few days ago.

The Cybunny continued to sing and play her guitar for hours until someone declared the wind had died down. Alix didn't even notice that hours had gone by. Nanny had though.

"Dear Fyora," Nanny would complain later to Altador, "If that drunkard was going to ask for me to read his book again, I was going to grab the nearest frying pan and smack him upside the head with it!"

Altador listened well to the senile Cybunny, then he turned to Alixandrea who was already in her pajamas for bedtime.

"What happened today my love?" Altador asked as he picked Alix up to put her in her bed for the night. "All I got out of Nanny was that there was a storm, and the festival was utterly destroyed..."

"Yeah, it got real bad." Alix agreed. "But there was this lady Cybunny who played some music, and I didn't even KNOW that lots of hours went by before some one said it was alright to go back outside."

Altador nodded, able to decipher the young Lupe's decision to use vocabulary appropriate for her age for once.

"She sounds brave." Altador said.

"She was." Alix agreed. "I think you should make her once of your heroes. I think she's one of mine."

"Did you ask for her name?"

"I did." Alix nodded. "I think it was... it was... Sasha! Yes, I think it was."

Altador smiled at his daughter and gave her a kiss on the forehead in reverence and thanks.

"Good night Alixandrea." Altador said, beginning to leave the room.

"Good night Daddy." Alix said in return, beginning to fall asleep.


	7. The Tax Collecter, Warrior, and Thief

Four year old Alix made tea as Nanny helped her. And by saying that, we mean that Nanny was really doing all of the work.

"Don't touch that burner!" Nanny hollered. Or, "That kettle is hot Wolf-child! Here, let me do it..."

At least Alix was able to carry the tea set out into the parlor where her father was having a meeting with a Skeith and Grarrl; a tax collector and warrior, respectively.

"That is why I would like for your services in this new city, Gordos and Torakor." Altador told the Skeith and Grarrl, finishing what had been a very moving proposition. "It is your choice, of course."

"Here's tea and cookies if you want them sirs." Alixandrea announced, putting the tea tray on a table in between Altador and the two visitors.

"Thank you Alixandrea." Altador thanked, casually reaching to a cookie. The guests did the same, but not without commenting on Alix before she left the room.

"Who is this child Altador?" the Skeith asked. "She is too young to be working as your housemaid, I hope."

"Never Gordos!" Altador laughed. "This is my daughter, Alixandrea. She had asked to make tea for the meeting, I had not told her to do anything."

"Nanny did most of it." Alix told her father scornfully and making a disgusted face. The men let out a hearty laugh as they started to fully enjoy the tea and cookies Alix and Nanny had made.

. . . . .

Directly in the morning after the new guests had left, Altador and his daughter prepared for a journey out to someplace near Meridell.

"Where are we going Daddy?" Alixandrea asked, rubbing her eyes since it was still dark out.

"I'm going to show you that there can always be a light in the darkness."

Nanny was coming with them, for Alix's sake and safety. Bogger to that, Alixandrea decided, all Nanny's good for is a nag or three. But Nanny knew how to keep Alix under her belt, that much Alix could figure any day.

The trio came to the small town around noontime (Altador and Nanny both were amazed at how well they had traveled) and Altador located a small house with only a door to show for the outside world. Altador knocked on the door, but no one opened it. But there was a sudden rustle behind them, as if someone was running really fast. Alix noticed it right away, but her father and nanny hadn't. Suddenly, Alix felt a tug and Nanny exclaimed,

"My necklace!"

Altador looked at Nanny to find that, indeed, her necklace was gone. Not that the thing was very valuable, but it looked like it though.

Next thing the trio heard was a crash and the sound of a Neopet being knocked out. Then a Neopet (a Techo to be exact) appeared from the alleyway, holding Nanny's necklace.

"Is this yours ma'am?" the Techo asked kindly, a little bit shyly. Nanny, slightly petrified, nodded and took back her necklace when the Techo handed it to her.

"Are you the hero they call Kelland?" Altador asked as the Techo prepared to leave. The Techo looked surprised.

"A hero? How am I a hero?" the Techo asked. Altador smiled and told the Techo the tale of how the Lupe had a dream to build a city and he needed a Council of Twelve to follow behind to keep every detail in check.

"Why do you want me?" the Techo asked. Alix knew the answer to this one.

"There is always light in the darkness." the young Lupe informed the older Techo.


	8. The Wave

"Get away from that water you insane Wolf-child!" Nanny screeched as Alix waded into the water. They were in a new land that Altador had found a few days before, and Alix had just turned five. It was a birthday celebration of sorts for the little Lupe.

"She'd not going to drown." a dark faerie, that Alix had met and helped save Altador's life two years ago, said in a bored monotone. "She'll float."

"Belly down after she's dead!" Nanny thundered. The dark faerie sighed irritably and magically withdrew a dark-colored parasol to shade herself from the sun. Alixandrea rolled her eyes at the Neopian and the faerie to turn to her father, who was close to the water's edge (further out than Alix was) looking as if she was expecting something... or someone. The little Lupe carefully make her way closer to her father before asking,

"What are you doing Daddy?"

"I'm waiting for someone."

"From the sea?"

Altador nodded.

"But... why can't they come from the land instead? It wasn't that hard when WE tried."

"Our new friend can't survive on land alone. He can not breathe air like we can."

Alix looked at her father in confusion. He laughed at her a little and hoisted her to his shoulders.

"Around the time you were born," Altador started to tell his daughter, "There was a Peophin that governed over a small clan like his own over a drop-off."

"Where?" the child asked.

"You know that island between Meridell and Maraqua?"

Alix nodded.

"It was around there, give or take." her father told her. "Well, it came to happen that the fishermen were over fishing and soon their supplies were running scarce. The fishermen blamed the Peophins, but Marak (that's the name of the Peophin we are meeting today) knew that wasn't the case and tried to make a peace treaty with the fishers. But they would have none of it. The villagers on land began to roll boulders down to where the Peophin's clan resided. Marak was furious at the villagers' senseless decision, so he joined his army together in a line and they charged toward the surface dwellers. This caused one of the largest Neopian-made tidal waves in history, and the villagers called for surrender. Marak talked to the village leader, although Marak was still very angry, and negotiated a peace treaty between the Peophin tribe and land dwellers to help yield better fishing standards for both sides."

"What happened?" the young Lupe asked, her eyes wide in wonder as she stared out into the sea.

"The two are now at peace," the older Lupe told her, "Marak has now decided to move here for his clan to reside."

"Why?"

As if one cue, a figure rose from the waves. It was Peophin.

"We were given the opportunity to guard a new land." the Peophin said.

"Aixandrea, this is Marak." Altador said to his daughter, introducing her to the Peophin.

"Hello young one." Marak said with a bow toward Alix. It took her a moment, but finally the young Lupe smiled in awe.

"Wow..."


	9. The Gatherer

Alix had heard the news before Altador had. Being a classic five-year-old-snoop did some good on occasions. In a town not far from their current location (Fyora knew where, because Alix never kept track) there had been an Acara that had tamed a rather savage animal. Granted, the actual event had gone around a year after she was born, but Alix had heard the news first. She was also the one to push Altador out the door. Imagine, a five year old shoving her father out the door!

"Do you know where we're going?" Altador asked, following close behind his daughter, who was actually outrunning him for once.

"I think so." the young Lupe agreed, holding her head as if she was on a mission. And in a way, she was.

. . . . . .

Alixandrea took her father to the town she had heard of and marched right on through until she got to a small house that had a few Petpets here and there.

"Knock." the five year old instructed her father, motioning toward the house's door.

"On this door?" Altador asked, surprised by his daughter's lead. She was months away from being six now, wasn't she? When did children LEARN to be like this, if they learned it at all?

"Knock Daddy." Alix repeated. "You need her, she's the last one you need."

Altador did as his daughter instructed. An Acara answered the door.

"Hello?" she asked, slightly confused to see a Lupe at her door.

"My Daddy needs you." Alix said, stepping forward. "He's going to build this big city that everyone will love and he needs your caring heart to help build and grow the city. We have met others, and they have agreed to help. There are ten now. Daddy would like twelve, including himself if they allow. Would you like to help?"

For a moment, Altador and the Acara looked at the young Lupe in wonder. Five years old. Almost three years of her life were spent looking for Heroes of a new land not yet born. She was five years old. Five years old...

Finally, to break the ice between the trio, the Acara titled her head and asked Alix,

"Would... would you like to have a Petpet? I think... I think I know one in particular that might be a good match for you."

Alixandrea looked up at her father, it didn't matter to her if she had a Petpet or not. He was her father after all. Altador looked down at her and nodded, giving his okay. Alix looked back at the Acara and nodded. The Acara led the father and daughter duo to behind the house, and she picked up a faerie Alabriss.

"He's a tough one," the Acara told Alix, "But he has a heart that rings true, no doubt."

The Alabriss and young Lupe looked at each other, then they connected instantly. The Acara gently handed the Alabriss to Alix, who never let the Petpet go until late into the night at her father's wishing.

"About what my daughter said earlier..." Altador started to say, turning to the Acara.

"I would be honored to help raise a new city." the Acara said. "I know of a few Petpets that would thrive well in several areas around here. What place in mind did you have for the new city?"

Altador smiled.

"There is a land, that I will give coordinates for, don't worry, that all of the Heroes I have met will meet in a month's time. We will begin building there, Fyora willing."

The Acara nodded.

"I would be glad to attend." she said, bowing to Altador.


	10. The Beginning of the Future

In a month following the meeting of Fauna, Altador took Alixandea by the hand and took her to the land where they had met the Peophin back on her birthday. She had forgotten how beautiful it had looked.

"This is it." Altador said to no one in particular. "The beginning of the future starts today."

Slowly, throughout the course of the day, all the Neopians and faeries that Altador and his daughter had met in the last three years met at the shore of the new land. Alix held her faerie Alabriss (whom she had named Saebron) tightly. She was five years old now, but she knew the meaning of the word 'fate' or a good part of the meaning. Seeing all of the Heroes, including her father, in a circle discussing future plans made her realize that this is what fate must look like. And that feeling of excitement but fear of the future, this must be what fate felt like emotionally.

"Our first order should be to build the capital, the place where we'll all meet first." Marak suggested.

"Our first order should be to make trade routes between here, Shenkuu, and the Lost Desert!" Gordos suggested as well.

"Shouldn't we NAME the land we've just adopted?" the dark faerie asked. For a moment, everyone went silent.

"I like that idea." Alix stated, who couldn't help but over hear since she was still too young to really go any where on her own.

"I second the notion." Florin said.

"I third the notion." Sasha piped up.

"Who is in favor of naming our new land, say 'I.'" Altador proposed. Everyone, except for Alix who couldn't vote, gave an 'I.'

"Those opposed give likewise sign."

No one said a word.

"It is settled then," Altador announced, "We name our new land before we break ground.

Kelland had paper and pens for everyone along with an old wooden box. Before everyone started to scratch down their answer, Alix said,

"Altador."

Everyone looked at her. She was staring at the new land from the shore in awe and she held Saebron tighter.

"What's wrong dear?" Altador asked his daughter, walking over to her.

"This place should be 'Altador.'" the young Lupe said. "Because... without you Daddy, none of us would be here right now."

All of the heroes, except for Altador, looked at each other and gave a silent nod. Altador put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She was about as high as his waist now, maybe a little under. Alix looked up at her father, who looked back down at her.

"Do you think that this place will be great some day?" Alixandrea asked.

"I can't promise you that." Altador said. "But I can promise it will be safe. For you, your Petpet, our new friends, and everyone."

Alix lulled this thought over, then nodded. Altador kissed his daughter at the top of her head. None of them would be there if it wasn't for her, something that Altador was sure to be be missing from the history books some day. He'll write it down, maybe, if they ever build a library.

Then the voting began. Everyone wrote down their suggests and placed it into the wooden box. The box was then handed to Altador, who shook it and started to read the names chosen. Eleven votes called for the name 'Altador' and only one called for 'Alixandrea.' Everyone, excluding Altador himself, had wanted to name the new land after the one who had led them there to begin with.

. . . . .

The group of fourteen broke ground soon later in the afternoon. They all agreed to begin with a capital building; so they could meet in privacy if the time needed, then build around it. Marak decided that for him to be able to enter the meeting hall, there would have to be canals. Florin also suggested a large farming location. Torakor wanted a large wall surrounding the main part of the city, to protect it from intruders, and Kelland agreed on this idea.

The next day, a group of Neopians had come to help. The next day after that, even more Neopians came to help. It amazed Altador to see how many Neopians came to help. There were so many Neopians in only a few short days that the building of the city only took about six years. In six years, however, a lot can change...


	11. Bonds and Wisdom

Six years of young Alixandrea's life was spent building the city known as Altador. Not that she minded though, she was surrounded by what little family she had and the numerous friends she did have. First, the main building was built and finished within a year and a half. The canals and walls around the rest of the city followed. Once these two basing founding places were built, everyone started to move in and build their own houses. Around this time, the dark faerie (who had told Alix her real name, but told the child to never say it) was growing frustrated with Altador, and his lack of using magic to build the city.

"Do you believe what your father says?" the dark faerie asked Alix once while they were working together on painting a wall. Alix was doing most of the work however; after arguing with Altador so often, the dark faerie no longer felt inclined to help build the city.

"Who am I to defy the man who not only gave half of him to me, raised me from three years by himself, but also gave a safe place for other children like me to grow?" Alix asked. The dark faerie smirked.

"You should hear yourself right now." she commented. "You sound so much like him, it's like looking into a mirror."

"Maybe wisdom's inherited." Alix suggested, raising an eyebrow. The dark faerie rolled her eyes.

"Hardly." the faerie scoffed. "If wisdom was inherited, Fyora would have her tables flipped!"

"It's a thought." Alix mumbled to herself, resuming to painting the wall. Her Petpet, a faerie Alabriss named Saebron, flew toward the dark faerie lazily. The dark faerie sneered at the Petpet and finally swat at it when it got too close to her. She hit the Petpet and it went downward spiral to the ground in a small yelp of pain. Alix immediately dropped her paint brush and ran to nurse her Neopet. After a quick inspection, Alix glared at the dark faerie.

"What was that for? He wasn't hurting you!"

The dark faerie stood up and walked over to Alix.

"You..." the faerie started to say in a very, very dark tone, "Need to learn that not everything is all posies and pumpkins as your father thinks. People. Are. Mean."

"But not everyone has to be." Alix returned, picking up her Petpet and quickly walking away.

. . . . .

The next morning, Siyana had called the newly dubbed Council of Twelve into the meeting hall. And she also requested Alix to be there as well.

"Everyone knows that faeries have incredibly long lives," Siyana started after everyone had gathered, "And it's been a secret kept well hidden until now."

Siyana looked at Psellia, who looked rather grave.

"I have decided, with Fyora's blessing, that the same charm that keeps us faeries around for centuries is passed on to the rest of the Council."

"But why her?" Kelland asked, pointing to eleven year old Alixandrea. "Why does she get the charm? The rest of us have families as well."

"That is true." Siyana agreed. "And if you wish, the rest of your families can receive this charm as well, as long as they don't abuse it to their full force. Alixandrea will be given a 'lighter' version of the charm, so she ages slower, but not as slow as the rest of us."

"But WHY?" Kelland asked. Siyana closed her eyes and sighed painfully.

"I can't explain it," she slowly admitted, "But the bond between Alixandrea and Altador... it's... strong. I can not, for the life of me, even begin to think of them separated for long."

Hearing this, Alix blushed lightly and Altador stood straighter. The faerie's words had both embarrassed them, and made them feel proud towards the other.

Siyana then went through each of the members of the Council of Twelve and lightly touched their foreheads, to administer the charm on them. When she placed the charm on Alix, she whispered to the young Lupe,

"When you come of age, I'll make your charm more powerful so it matches that of what I've administered to your father. But you can never tell anyone what I have done. Understand dear?"

Alix nodded.

"Good." Siyana said with a nod.


	12. The Betrayal

Alix had told her father what had happened between Saebron and the dark faerie. How couldn't she? She was at the age when she'd tell anyone anything if they cared to listen, and she trusted her father more than anyone.

"I think she's getting worse Dad." Alix told her father. "I trust her but... she's starting to scare me."

"Has she used her magic?" Altador wondered.

"She has moments," Alix admitted, "A Jubjub was getting on her nerves the other day, and her fingers... smoked, it looked like. It was like... she was holding back the urge to smack him with her dark magic because others were watching."

Altador looked at his daughter in the eye. The young Lupe was growing pale of the remembrance of the event. She was quite fond of the dark faerie, for reasons that she scarcely remembered.

"What if she..." Alix started to say, not wanting to say what she was thinking, "What if she uses her magic against me? Or you? Or... or us? I know the conversations you two have been having, about how this city should have been built. What if she realizes that... that..."

Altador silenced his now babbling daughter in her fear by cupping her face in his hands.

"Hush darling." Altador said softly, trying to comfort his daughter. "She would never hurt you, or me, or us. You are her sister, even more so than her actual faerie sisters."

Alixandrea searched in her father's eyes for truth in what he was saying. But his eyes read the same sense of fear as she did regarding the dark faerie.

It was almost as if they both began to acknowledge the inevitable of one of their most longest and cherished friends.

. . . . .

"The Sleeper. They're calling me The Sleeper." the dark faerie said to no one in particular as she and Alix (with Saebron) walked through the water fountain garden. "How dare they have the audacity..."

"Maybe it's because you chose to sleep than work as we built our city?" Alix suggested. The dark faerie growled.

"If Altador had listened to me, I would have worked harder than what I had. But that doesn't mean I didn't work at all!"

"If you had listened to my father with an open mind, maybe you would have been more receptive to his ideas. He's a smart Lupe, never doubt it." Alix imputed without much thought. The dark faerie then turned quickly at Alix.

"How _dare_ you talk to me like that!" the faerie thundered.

"Like what?" Alix asked, not sure what she had done. Saebron sensed something bad brewing, so he immediately flew away to get help. Just in case.

"Just because you think that you're Altador's daughter means nothing." the dark faerie growled. "You walk around here like you're... you're a princess! You wouldn't own anything if it wasn't for me. We wouldn't be here if I hadn't saved that Lupe from the Ragnarok beasts that were infesting that worthless village!"

"What are you talking about?" Alix asked, laughing a little to disguise her worry. Suddenly, the dark faerie raised her hand in an invisible choke-hold, and Alix started to float in the air as if she was in a choke-hold.

"If Altador won't listen to me, maybe he'll listen once I have his beloved daughter on ransom!"

"What?!" Alix screeched in surprise. "No!"

"I should have done this a long time ago." the dark faerie said, something evil flickering in her eyes.

"What are you doing?!" a voice thundered from the entrance of the water fountain garden. The dark faerie turned and gasped at who she saw, releasing Alix from the invisible choke-hold. Saebron had successfully found and alerted Altador just in time.

"What were you doing?" Altador asked again, walking closer to the dark faerie and his daughter.

"I... I..." the dark faerie studdered. Alix was breathless.

Once he was close enough to the dark faerie, he withdrew his sword and pointed it at her neck. The faerie closed her eyes, waiting for the fateful blow but it never happened. Instead, Altador pointed the sword to the side.

"Leave." he told the faerie fiercely. "And never, NEVER come back. No one touches my daughter, no matter the cost. Understand?"

The dark faerie said nothing. Altador raised his sword at the faerie's neck again.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Altador thundered.

"Yes." the dark faerie said quietly, scornfully, and flew away as quick as she could.

"Alixandrea," Altador now said, addressing his daughter although he was watching the dark faerie fly away, "Go to the Council meeting chamber. We have entered a state of emergency."

For a moment in shock, fear, and confusion, Alix stood where she was.

"Now!" Altador snapped, whipping his head around to look at Alix. The young Lupe scrambled to her feet, scooped up her Alabriss, and ran toward the Council meeting room in the Hall of Heroes tower. He watched his daughter scramble away before looking back to where the dark faerie had flew out to. No sword strikes as deep as the one wielded by a beloved friend...


	13. Choices

The rest of the Council was as surprised by the dark faerie's actions as Alix and Altador were, except the two were more brokenhearted. The others had seen the act coming, but didn't know when or to who. Now they knew.

Alix sat in a corner of the council room with Saebron in her lap. Her eyes were red and puffy, a sign that she had been crying long and hard.

"Alixandrea was more of a sister to that dark faerie than we, as her own sisters, were." Siyana said in a very angry tone.

"Maybe that was the issue." Psellia pointed out.

"That still doesn't make it right." Fauna input. The discussion continued from there, but Jerdana looked over at the sullen looking Lupe in the corner and walked over to her. Slowly and cautiously, Jerdana sat beside Alix and they looked at each other. Jerdana then gave the young Lupe a hug; a well needed one at that.

"She tried to kill me..." Alix said, trying hard to hold back her tears.

"I know dear," Jerdana soothed, slowly petting the top of the young Lupe's head. "It's alright now."

"It was so scary... I thought she loved me..."

. . . . .

"If that faerie comes back, she'll go after Alix before she comes after you." Jerdana told Altador later that day when the rest of the Council and Alix had gone away. "I know this is painful for you to hear, but we have to send Alix away for her own safety."

Altador closed his eyes and took a deep breath in.

"I know." he said. Jerdana waited for him to say more, but he didn't, so she did.

"I just received word that the dark faerie has started to cast a spell to change Altador's history so she was the only founder. We can counter it, but at a price."

"What price?" Altador asked, raising an eyebrow. Now it was Jerdana's turn to take a deep breath in.

"I can counteract the dark faerie's spell by placing a veil of sorts over our memories of the right founding of this city, but it will mean that we temporarily lose our memories of ourselves. And our loved ones."

Altador stood stiff at this.

"Will she be safe?" Altador asked the spell-casting Aisha.

"Yes." Jerdana nodded. "Until the spell is broken by a Neopian who is clever and brave."

"Then do it."

"Yes sir, I'll start working right away."


	14. A Thousand Years Later

**A Thousand Years Later...**

The Neopian carefully placed the necklace on the statue of the Betrayer (which had fire coming out of that crazy statue faerie's hands, REAL fire!) and then the statue started to crack. Then the statue itself burst into millions of different pieces! The Neopian covers their eyes to prevent anything flying into them as the sound of a stone wall rolling away came from the opposite end of the room. The Neopian looked over to the new entrance and tilted their head to the side. Well... whoever was on the other end had a drink, or something. It's been awhile after they'd had something to eat or drink, all that problem solving turned to be more trouble than it was worth!

Meanwhile, near the shores of Altador, a teenaged Lupe with her faerie Petpet Alabriss suddenly got a rush of all her memories prior to that day and went into a mini coma. The same thing happened to eleven others currently in Altador, but not to the same degree. Her memories, in a way, were more powerful than the others.

. . . . .

After filling the Neopian on their history and how the spell was broken, Altador promised them rewards the next day and sent the bewildered Neopian away. Then the people-appointed king grew silent.

"That was exciting." Jerdana decided, hopping a little in her seat with happiness. "That counter spell lasted a thousand years! Maybe I am better at magic than what I thought..."

The giddy Jerdana stole a glance at Altador for a moment, and settled down a little.

"You can go find her now, she'll be waiting for you." Jerdana quietly told Altador.

"Why did I think sending her away was the right choice?" Altador asked, to no one in particular. "She wouldn't have been in harm, even that faerie wouldn't have recognized her once the spell was in effect."

"She would have, if we didn't know how the spell would effect anyone outside of Altador like the Darkest Faerie was, and we didn't. Go find her, she is waiting for you."

Altador did nothing but sit and look as if he was staring at something far off. Jerdana suddenly felt herself grow angry at him.

"Wait a day then, to decide what you want to do." Jerdana told him, getting off of her seat. "But it's going to be her strong memories of you that will take her awhile to recollect everything since the spell's been broken. And here's hoping you live up to those memories."

And with that, Jerdana left the Council room in mid-fury, leaving Altador to himself to think.

. . . . .

Slowly, her eyes began to open and the teenaged Lupe sat up. Almost immediately after, she howled at the immense pain coming from her head. Her long time Cybunny nanny ran into the room, the old biddy didn't even need to ask what was the matter when she saw the Lupe holding her head as if it was going to explode. The nanny rushed over and laid the Lupe's head back on her pillow.

"Lay down dear, Jerdana said your memories would hurt you. Just lay down and go back to sleep."

"Dear Fyora, how can ANYONE go to sleep when it feels like my head is an overblown Negg past suggested popping pressure?!" the Lupe whined.

"You were young when you had your memories placed in your head," the nanny told the Lupe, although it was falling on deaf ears, "The memories meant more then, so they're more powerful than if you gained them if you were older. It's a miracle your head DOESN'T feel like an overblown Negg past suggested popping pressure right now."

The Lupe groaned.

"Nanny!" she complained louder. "My head's going to explode!"

"Oh for the love of..." the nanny said, getting a bottle of some kind of liquid from her apron. She then uncorked to bottle and let the Lupe drink a good portion of it. The teenaged Lupe went silent instantly, swayed a little, then fell back on her pillow asleep. On the floor was the Lupe's faerie Alabriss, who looked up at the nanny in wonder.

"Ah, don't look at me like that." the nanny told the Petpet as she put the bottle back in her apron. "I knew that little git wasn't going to wake up quietly, so the air faerie whipped something up that would only put the Wolf-girl asleep for awhile longer. Besides, her memories are pleasant and they'll serve as pleasant dreams."

The Alabriss looked at the Cybunny and gave what could have been an eyebrow raise before the Petpet went to sleep.

"What do you know?" the Cybunny nanny asked defensively to no one in particular, although she was looking at the now asleep Alabriss who could have cared less by now.

. . . . .

The teenaged Lupe woke up a day later, and although her head was still threatening to pound out of her skull, she had to admit it wasn't as bad as earlier. She walked out of the little home she and her nanny occupied and looked toward the Hall of Heroes tower.

"Come find me Dad," she whispered to the wind, "We've waited this long... I'm not mad at you, I know why you did what you had."

Meanwhile, as the Council of Twelve gave the Neopian responsible of breaking their spell nice prizes and souvenirs, the wind carried to height of the young Lupe's message right into Altador's ear;

_I'm not mad at you, and we've waited this long. I still love you Dad..._

The moment the Neopian was sent away for the last time, the Council presented Altador with a traveling pack.

"She's not that far." Jerdana told him, "But you still have to look, Siyana admits that she's changed a bit since you've seen her last."

Altador nodded. But Jerdana noticed something about him that wasn't there a thousand years back; fear and doubt. She murmured a spell of courage to him as she watched him leave, but if it had effected him or not, she wasn't able to tell. Then she realized he was blocking her out.


	15. Torture the- uh, I mean- Yooyu Ball

The teenaged Lupe strolled around outside with her Petpet beside her. Nanny was holding some truths from her that she was sure she'd be filled in later, like the time frame between here and there. She knew there was one, she noticed that a spot of white wall she had painted herself looked more yellow with age than perfect white as she remembered it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of a few boys playing nearby. She and her Petpet peered around the corner to see two young Neopians and one significantly older. The three were playing with a Yooyu that had curled itself into a ball. For several minutes, the Lupe and her Petpet looked at the game intently, then the Alabriss Petpet decided it wanted to play too.

"Saebron, no!" the Lupe hissed, but the Petpet wasn't listening. As if it lacked a sense of humility, the faerie Alabriss joined the game immediately. The three boys playing stared at the random introduction of the Alabriss, but the younger two didn't question it. The older one looked around, he was old enough to know that a Petpet in the open usually belongs to someone close by. The teenaged Lupe held her breath as the older boy walked toward her hiding place, and successfully found her.

"Hello." he said, bemused and curious. He was an Ogrin.

"Hello." the now socially awkward Lupe said shyly. The Ogrin smiled back.

"Is that your Alabriss?" he asked. The Lupe nodded.

"Pretty cool," the Ogrin told her. "What's his name?"

"Saebron."

"And yours?"

The teenage Lupe looked at the Ogrin. He was kind of cute... in a cocky sort of way that would have made Hanso proud.

"Alixandrea." she told him. "But Alix is alright."

"Nice. My name's Kian."

. . . . .

Altador's first order of business in finding his daughter was to search out her long time nanny, who Siyana had placed the age slowing spell on as well so the Cybunny could raise Alix for the years the spell was taking place. Nanny had said (all those years ago) that they would go to a house near the shore, so that's where Altador went first. At first, Nanny had accepted Altador with smiles and nods that compensated for hugs. But then she told him the news; Alix had gone for a walk. Even worse, she insisted that he go after her instead of staying there to wait for her. Curse that darned Cybunny!

So Altador set out again, going in the direction Nanny told him. No one said finding his daughter was going to be easy, but would it have killed her to stay inside today?!

. . . . .

She kind of wished she had, however, since the game the boys were playing was something called 'Yooyu Ball', when it more resembled 'Torture The Petpet.'

"It doesn't hurt her," Kian had told her, as he refereed his brothers (one was also an Orgin and the other was a Xweetok). "In fact, our Yooyu, Kegan, thinks it's quite fun."

Alix gave him the benefit of the doubt, and it did kind of look like fun, but it still looked like they were torturing the poor Yooyu though.


	16. Reunion

Altador first heard the sounds of kids playing, then he thought he recognized the sound one of them. Around the corner were two teenagers and two children playing with a Yooyu and a faerie Alabriss. One thought and Altador was reminded of the faerie Alabriss that his daughter adopted from Fauna. Sure enough, there was a Lupe among the two teens. Taking a leap of faith, Altador knew this was his daughter, and he took a moment or two to admire how she had grown. Stunning in her wake, and standing tall, proud, and mature; she reminded Altador heavily of her mother.

At first, as Altador made his way to the playing kids, no one really took notice. It was the faerie Alabriss, honestly, that first took notice of the large Lupe coming toward the group. Then the two children (an Ogrin and Xweetok) looked at him, then the two teens (another Ogrin and the Lupe Altador suspected was Alix) looked as well.

"King Altador." the children and the teenaged Ogrin said in unison as they bowed. The Lupe stared at Altador for several moments.

"Dad." she said in wide eyes. Then she closed her eyes and reached for her head like it was going to fall off, swayed for a few moments, then dead fainted on the spot.

The teenaged Ogrin looked up at Altador terrified.

"You're her father?!" he asked in surprise. When Altador nodded, the teenaged Ogrin nearly fainted himself.

. . . . .

"This story gets better every time I hear it." Nanny laughed later, "Please, tell it again!"

"Not now Nanny, this is serious." Jerdana told the old Cybuuny, who couldn't contain her laughter for anything.

Everyone had been called into the Council of Twelve's meeting room, even the Ogrin and his brothers. Alix had been seated on Altador's seat in the meeting room, but was still out cold. The Ogrin stood on the opposite side of the room, glancing from her to Altador and back again while his brothers freely roamed the room. Altador stood by his daughter, not sure what to do now that he had her back and his city was safe.

"Princess Alixandrea of Altador," the teenaged Ogrin, who told Altador his name was Kian, breathed as he shook his head in disbelief. "Holy King Coltzan..."

"Didn't think there was a princess, did you?" Torakor asked Kian, giving him a hearty slap on the back that knocked the wind out of Kian for a few moments.

"No.." Kian said, shaking his head.

"Well, let me tell you something," Torakor said, leaning in closer to Kian, "All of us wouldn't be here without that little girl there. She introduced the Darkest Faerie to Altador, which saved his life although she betrayed him in the long run. None of us had the idea to build this city, only Altador did. It's a powerful concept, and that girl there was no older than three when she started. This city was near finished when she was eleven. Think about that for a moment."

And Kian did think about it, for a long time. He thought about it when Alix woke up, looking at everyone with eyes that could have rivaled the responsible power and deep thought seen in her father's eyes. He thought about it as Jerdana made her way over to Alix and gently asked if she was alright and if she remembered everything now. He thought about it as Alix looked up at everyone in the room and confirmed she remembered everything without a migraine. He thought about it as everyone in the Council gave her a hug, and he came to one conclusion that pretty much summed up his thoughts; he loved her.


	17. Her Name Was-

A big party was held city-wide for, not only the spell being broken, but for the return of Alixandrea in Altador's care. Sure, not all the citizens really knew about her, but we all love a reason to party hard. Amidst all the party hub-bub, Kian slowly made his way toward Alixandrea.

"Hey!" Alix waved when she saw him awkwardly make his way over. She had an odd sense of instantly being friends with someone, not that it upset Kian, it just made him more nervous.

"So..." Kian said anxiously, not sure how to start his conversation, "The city of Altador has a princess now..."

"I don't feel like one." Alix said happily with a shrug and laugh. "And there's not a crown, so the position can be filled by anyone."

"Huh?" Kian absentmindedly asked, getting caught off guard for a moment of a weakness he wasn't quite sure how it got there. Alix simply laughed at him in good fun instead of explaining, which he wished she had. Altador came up from behind them and tapped Alix on the shoulder.

"The Council wants us to talk alone in the meeting room." Altador told her.

"Okay." Alixandrea said with a smile to her father before leaving with him. Kian took a deep breath of relief after the father and daughter were out of earshot. Good Fyora that is in Faerieland, Alix was a princess! Imagine telling your schoolmates that you not only befriended a princess, but fell in love with her too!

. . . . .

"Why are we here?" Alix asked as everyone in the Council of Twelve... well, Eleven now, arranged themselves in the Council Meeting Room. Siyana stepped forward and used her index finger to lightly touch Alix's forehead.

"You are of age now, so your age charm has increased to the same power as your father's." Siyana told her, after performing the spell.

"Thank you." Alixandrea said gratefully. "But, no offense, you could have done that anytime without the meeting. Why are we all crowded in here any way?"

Everyone went silent for a moment, in a last minute check to see if what they were going to say was what they really wanted to do.

"In an informal vote," Jerdana declared, "We have decided that you should fill in for the spot of the Twelfth Hero of Altador, as left by the Betrayer."

"What?!" Alix said in surprise and happiness. She looked at her father, who looked proud, and a little surprised at the words that were once floating around in everyone's heads being spoken out loud for the first time.

"I..." Alix started to say at the Council. "I would be honored. But... are you sure?"

Everyone of the Council of (once again) Twelve looked pretty sure. Alix blushed brightly and felt the need to faint again.

. . . . .

The statue had already been commissioned from the Perfectly Flat Rock Quarry, and replaced what remained of the Darkest Faerie's statue (including the plinth) with Alixandrea's statue at the height of the party celebrations when the sun was going down that day.

_'This is the statue of Alixandrea, the Child.' _the plinth read, in a large font. Below was a smaller font that gave a brief history of how Alixandrea had earned the title and where it originated from. But Alix didn't want to read it now, she wanted to go out and party like any other teenager wanted to do. But she stood where she was, admiring the stone creation that was in her likeness. The statue (that resembled her in her teenaged state) stared blankly at King Altador's statue (which was directly across from Alixandrea's statue) while smiling in a wise and slightly smart way. The stone Alixandrea held a circle-type serving tray (mirror, as Psellia had told her when she asked) that had an engraved version of the young face of Alixandrea a thousand and some years before when she was five years old. Of course, with anything that is in a likeness of you, you always find a reason to insult it.

"That dress looks ridiculous, I've never worn that!" Alixandrea said to no one in particular. Saebron was nearby, but wasn't really paying much attention. Someone chuckled from behind her.

"So you like it?"

Alix looked around and saw her father. She smiled at him.

"It's fine." she said to him. "It's just fun to insult the inanimate incarnation of myself."

Altador smiled and looked up at the statue as well. The two were silent for several moments.

"How am I going to do it?" Alix finally asked.

"Do what?" Altador asked her, giving her a curious look.

"To be a princess, or... or a member of the Council of Twelve?"

Altador chuckled a little. Alixandrea looked up at her father like he was going insane.

"Be yourself." he told her, noticing (and choosing to ignore) the look she was giving him. "We are here today because we all did something we do best; being ourselves."

Alix thought this over, it seemed simple enough, but it still sounded more than a little impossible.

"What if I forget to be myself?" Alix asked. Altador simply smiled at her, which she smiled back at. Then the two went back into a silence as they looked at the statue of The Child.

"Dad..." Alixandrea slowly started to say.

"Yes, Alixandrea?"

"Her name was Mera."


End file.
